The Laughing Policeman is, despite the title, a dark and melancholy animated short named after a coin-op amusement device located on the boardwalk. The sinister laughter of this machine causes a beat cop to remember not-so-fond memories of trashy women making a spectacle of themselves on the planks, and the mood is set to dreary.

But you’re not going to watch this short for the uplifting storyline, the star of this short is the animation style, which is reminiscent of Ralph Bakshi's hand-drawn style, with the oddly repugnant style of a Terry Gilliam sequence from Monty Python.

The hand drawn animation is what will really draw you in, and once you’ve watched a copper being tormented by his memories you’ll be left with an appreciation for creator Marcus Armitage’s unique approach to animation, and the sound of maniacal robot laughter in your head.